9 great games for your Steam Deck from 2022

Whether you’re an early adopter or were the lucky recipient of a Steam Deck over the holidays, there’s an absolute treasure trove of dragon games to choose from. But between Valve’s relatively limited handheld storage space and sometimes spotty Steam Deck verification system, it’s not always clear what your time is worth.

Fortunately, The edge is home to its fair share of Steam Deck fans. Here are some stellar suggestions for games you should try on your new handheld, ranging from massive open-world experiences like Ring of Elden and first-person shooter experiences like Very hot whatever kind of game vampire survivors is supposed to be.

Earlier this year, fantasy author George RR Martin and the development team at FromSoftware collaborated on one of the biggest souls games to date. Ring of Elden takes place in a sprawling dark-fantasy world full of ruthless enemies and deep lore to uncover. Even if you deliberately avoided the souls-like gender in the past, Ring of Elden worth the detour just for its spectacle. One of the first games to achieve a “verified” Steam Deck label, Ring of Elden clearly shows what’s possible on the Steam Deck by delivering a huge game that looks amazing.

I don’t know exactly what kind of game vampire survivors is meant to be – on the surface it’s a time survival game where you inevitably die – but I can’t get enough of it. While the overall aesthetic is clearly inspired by the classic Castlevania titles like symphony of the nightdescribing vampire survivors is not so simple. With runs lasting no more than 30 minutes and requiring very little of your gear, vampire survivors is basically an ideal game for the Steam Deck.

The third entry in the Very hot franchise, Superhot: Remove mind control, is the most expanded version of the time-consuming first-person shooter. Removal of mind control has more levels, more weapons and more ways to experience the same satisfaction Very hot playability. The problem here is that your opponents, their balls, and yours only move when you do, leaving you with an intense, cerebral experience. Each level in Superhot: mind control removal only lasts a minute or two in real time, making the game easy to pick up or put down, and the minimalistic graphics allow the Steam Deck to handle it with ease. Superhot: mind control removal is the best John Wick game that doesn’t have John Wick in it.

No Man’s Sky had a rough start but has evolved into something completely different thanks to the tireless efforts of its developers who continue to provide free updates. With a virtually endless galaxy to explore at your leisure, the Steam Deck is a great way to discover No Man’s Sky. If you like crafting and survival experiences like Subnautical, No Man’s Sky is right up your alley. If it piqued your interest when it first released in 2016 but you couldn’t be bothered then, this game is worth exploring on your Steam Deck.

While most gamers have since turned to the online world of Fallout 76, Fallout 4 remains an excellent single-player experience with an absolute wealth of community content. It won’t run perfectly if you have the graphics maxed out, but if you’re willing to compromise in a few places, Fallout 4 has no trouble adapting to Steam Deck hardware. The game already features a considerable experience out of the box, even without its DLC. If you missed the fourth main entry in this post-nuclear RPG series, now is the perfect time to catch up with the release of Fallout: London.

Tunic borrows a lot from the classic the The Legend of Zelda titles, but its adorable aesthetic betrays the difficulty of this elegant isometric adventure game. It’s a title that rewards exploration and is full of secrets to uncover. Granted, the enemies and boss fights can be grueling at times, but they’re also incredibly rewarding to overcome once you get the hang of them. Tunic is a fully verified Steam Deck title, works great, and is a great addition to your collection if you’re looking for something similar to the The Legend of Zelda on Steam.

Overload is the spiritual successor of Descent series from the 90s, which plays remarkably well on the Steam Deck despite its “unknown” compatibility rating. Each level in Overload has you flying through a maze of tunnels and mine shafts, battling endless waves of robots to ultimately destroy a central reactor and escape. The original game has over 15 levels, but also features years of free community-created content to dive into, making Overload worth checking out if you’re in the mood for an unconventional first-person shooter.

The fast-paced arcade platformer rollerdrome is a strange union of Professional skater Tony Hawk and a stylish slow-motion shooter. Clearly inspired by the 1975 film Roller with James Caan, rollerdrome is a stylish dystopian bloodsport on eight wheels. You’ll play through a series of arenas populated by baddies that you’ll have to mow down while chaining rounds to replenish your ammo. The story is a little thin, but the bite-sized nature of the levels makes rollerdrome a great candidate for your Steam Deck library.

Rockstar’s romantic western epic is starting to show its age at this point, but still remains an excellent open-world adventure. The fictional analogue of the Old West is so immersive, you’ll likely pick up a subconscious drawl from the South. You’ll have to make some graphical compromises to maintain consistent performance on the Deck, but even at low settings, Red Dead Redemption 2 looks amazing on Valve’s handheld. With a massive story and a host of side activities to take on, it’s easy to see why we think you should make this game your blueberry.